(CASS LAKE) Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Secretary/Treasurer Leonard Fineday was elected Midwest Regional Vice President for the National Congress of American Indians’ Executive Committee at the organization’s 80th Annual Convention on Tuesday. The N-C-A-I serves as a unified voice and advocates for the broad range of issues confronting tribal governments and communities. Fineday will serve as a liaison between NCAI and the 36 tribal nations and the states of Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. He also serves on the Federal Reserve Bank’s Center for Indian Country Development Leadership Council, on the Minnesota Children’s Justice Initiative Advisory Board, as a member of the Cass Lake-Bena School Board and as Treasurer for the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.
>>Reward Offered For Information About Horse Shooting In Northern MN
(Gatzke, MN) — A woman is asking for help to find who shot her horse. Alyssa Aune says her horse was shot in the leg outside her home in Gatzke last week. The Marshall County woman says the 22-year-old horse had to be put down after the shooting. She feels the shooting might be intentional, saying it would be very hard for someone to confuse a horse and a deer. She’s offering a 25-hundred-dollar reward for any information that leads to an arrest in the case.
>>Unemployment In MN Increases As State Reaches New Record For Jobs
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s unemployment rate increased slightly last month even as the state set a new record for jobs. The Department of Employment and Economic Development says October’s unemployment rate increased to three-point-two-percent, up from three-point-one-percent in September. Minnesota gained seven-thousand new positions last month to reach a statewide total of just over three-million jobs, which is the highest on record in Minnesota.
(St. Paul) A new Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis survey suggests farm incomes across the Upper Midwest declined this summer.
Forty-six percent of ag lenders say farm incomes fell during the July-September period. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service released a report this week showing farmers in 2022 earned less than 15 cents on every $1 spent on food in the U.S. The remaining portion went to transportation, processing and selling to consumers.
The USDA report said a long-term decline in farmers’ portion of the food dollar is related to an “increasing proportion of food-away-from-home” spending by Americans.
>>Hay Fire In NW MN Causing Visibility Issues
(Cuba Township, MN) — A hay fire in Becker County could cause some visibility issues for travelers over the next few days. The fire was first reported on Wednesday. Though the fire in Cuba Township is said to be under control, the Becker County Sheriff’s Office says the smoke will last for several days, and that drivers to be cautious when they pass through the area.
WASHINGTON – November would be designated as National Adoption Month, with November 18th as National Adoption Day, after a resolution passed the U.S. Senate yesterday.
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Republican Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota are Senate co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption. They introduced the Supporting Adopted Children & Families Act to increase support for adoptive families and raise awareness about adoption.
>>More Than $34M Raised On Give To The Max Day
(Edina, MN) — The organization behind Minnesota’s annual Give to the Max Day says more than 34-million dollars was taken in during the event. The final tally on the GiveMN website shows that money was donated to more than 66-hundred nonprofits and schools yesterday. Over 15 years, the annual event has raised more than 300-million dollars.
>>Man Sentenced For Attacking U.S. Rep. Angie Craig
(Washington, D.C.) — A man has been sentenced for attacking Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig in Washington, D.C. earlier this year. A federal judge gave 27-year-old Kendrid Hamlin over two years behind bars followed by three years on supervised released. The judge also recommended Hamlin be placed in a federal medical center, so he can get treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues. Hamlin assaulted the Democrat in the elevator of her apartment, punching her in the face and grabbing her neck until she managed to escape him.
>>County Attorneys Criticize New Computer Systems
(Minneapolis, MN) — County attorneys across the state of Minnesota are worried about the loss of a certain software program. This comes after State Court Administration phased out access to the computer platform Odyssey Assistant. A letter signed by 75 county attorneys statewide says the new alternatives aren’t nearly as reliable. Prosecutors want the old program restored or improvements to the replacement systems.
>>University of Minnesota Starting Cannabis Research Center
(Minneapolis, MN) — The University of Minnesota is launching a Cannabis Research Center following the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state. The school says the center will look at how adults will be impacted by using the substance and will help inform future marijuana policies and practices. At the last legislative session, a two point five million dollar annual appropriation was passed by lawmakers to help launch the building.
>>USDA Releases Updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map
(Minneapolis, MN) — Gardeners, growers, and researchers have a new tool to help determine which plants are most likely to thrive in Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released an updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map this week, the first update since 2012. The map breaks up areas across the country into zones based on 30-year averages of the lowest annual winter temperatures. In Minnesota, the majority of the state increased at least a half category. The USDA says around half of the country was placed in a higher zone.